1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile body information system. In particular, the present invention relates to a mobile body information system that is configured to distribute information or a content, e.g., music, to a mobile body such as a mobile terminal installed in a vehicle.
2. Background Information
Recent years, the information or contents such as music data can be distributed to a home personal computer (PC) through the Internet. Moreover, the information can also be distributed directly to a communication device or a mobile terminal installed in a vehicle using a multi-area format system. In the multi-area format system, a plurality of narrow area wireless base stations at narrow wireless communication facilities cover a plurality of corresponding communication areas and communicate with a communication device of a mobile terminal that is within the corresponding communication areas. Thus, the information is distributed to the mobile terminal on the vehicle when the vehicle enters a specific communication area of a corresponding narrow area wireless base station installed at, for example, a convenience store.
Installing the mobile terminal for this type of mobile body information system on a vehicle is optional. Also, it is required for an existing vehicle to install expensive special devices to receive information in this type of mobile body information system.
To solve this problem, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-123441 discloses a method to control communication by utilizing other wireless communication tools than the narrow area wireless communication, such as a portable phone. More specifically, the method disclosed in this publication utilizes a function of the portable phone that allows a user to browse Internet home pages or Web pages to receive distribution of information from the Web pages.
In the above method, both the narrow area wireless base stations at narrow wireless communication facilities and the communication device of the vehicle have fixed addresses or URLs (Uniform Resource Locators). By using the portable telephone, the user accesses a home page of an information distribution center that distributes contents, selects a required content or contents that the user wishes to download, and then registers the URL of the narrow area wireless base station that covers the area where the vehicle is currently located and the URL of the communication device in the vehicle. As a result, the required information is downloaded from the information distribution center to the corresponding narrow area wireless base station. The information is then distributed to the communication device in the vehicle through the corresponding narrow area wireless base station.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved mobile body information system. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.